Important message from the author
of '10cc: Behind The Bubblegum
Scene With The Worst Band In The World':
"My 10cc bubblegum facts may have have been hazy
My intent a bit dreamy
But Castle Music has not been lazy
And now my strawberries are creamy"
- Andrew Bergey

Castle Music (CMRCD 751) 2003

Did this wonderful collection appear as a result of someone reading my now
out-dated (and outlandish) article below? Do I have that kind of influence? I wish! (If so, look
for that Banana Splits anthology soon!) The important thing is that all those
great lost pre-10cc songs are finally in our hands and the 10cc collecting is
over. (Or is it? That's my next article!)
Sadly, this finely crafted compilation
is now out of print.

Michael Thom wrote this for
one of those wonderful Yahoo! Groups. He knows his stuff:

Just to
clarify a bit on the 10cc connection with Kasenetz and Katz:

K&K hired Graham Gouldman as a staff writer in 1969. He had joined Eric Stewart
for the final Mindbenders single in 1969 (not issued in the US) and
was involved with Stewart and Peter Tattersall in the creation of Strawberry
Studios in Manchester. Gouldman was also working with Kevin Godley (who had
played drums in Gouldman's mid-'60s group, the Mockingbirds) and Lol Creme for
Giorgio Gomelsky's Marmalade label.

While Gouldman continued to write for K&K, Godley, Creme and Stewart
experimented in their new studio. They made a recording to demonstrate drum
sounds and titled it "Neanderthal Man." Philips' Dick Leahy heard it and
insisted it be released. They named themselves "Hotlegs" after the studio
secretary, and the single became a huge hit in England (#2) and Europe, and
almost cracked the US top 20.

Gouldman convinced K&K that he and the members of
Hotlegs could record some of the material Gouldman wrote for K&K at Strawberry
much more economically than they could record in the US. The four future members
of 10cc recorded Gouldman's "Sausalito (Is the Place to Go)" at Strawberry, with
Gouldman singing lead. K&K owned the rights to all of their "group's" names, and
decided to issue it under the name "Ohio Express." The song, which is a
pure slice of pop magic, charted in the US but not elsewhere. 10cc had nothing
to do with the K&K throwaway B-side, "Make Love Not War." On the UK
pressing of the single, however, the writing credits for the two sides were
inadvertently reversed, which has led some to erroneously include "Make Love
Not War" in discographies of Gouldman's works.

One other Gouldman song was apparently recorded by 10cc for K&K and planned for
release as a "Ohio Express" record, but it was never issued. The song, "Tampa,
Florida," was recorded by fellow Mancunian Peter Cowap (issued on Pye in the
UK), as one of the three singles he did with Gouldman and other future members
of 10cc. (Cowap wrote for Herman's Hermits, Wayne Fontana and others, recorded a
rare UK-only single with Gouldman and others as the Manchester Mob, and joined
Herman's Hermits when Noone left the group.)

Hotlegs recorded the Godley-Creme song, "Umbopo,"
under the pseudonym "Doctor Father." It was issued in the UK on Pye and an
edited version
appeared in the US on Capitol. Gouldman liked the song, and recorded a new
version with Godley and Creme, engineered by Stewart. That version was
issued as part of the K&K deal as "There Ain't No Umbopo," and K&K stuck the
name "Crazy Elephant" on that single. Godley sings lead on both versions.
10cc had no involvement with the B-side, "Landrover." Paul's site shows "Landrover"
as the A-side, but it was the B-side. US promo copies have
"There Ain't No Umbopo" on both sides, with one side designated as "stereo" but
it is actually mono. Paul's site also suggests 10cc was involved with
Crazy Elephant's "Pam," but they were not (that was me actually.
Glad to blame it on someone else though! - Andy).

Other Gouldman/K&K efforts include "Come On Plane," issued under the name Silver
Fleet on Uni, and "When He Comes," issued under the name Fighter
Squadron on Bell. Godley sings lead on both. Both also have K&K B-sides with no
10cc involvement.

Several of the 10cc-related recordings, including "Sausalito" (also never issued
in stereo) and "There Ain't No Umbopo" (unfortunately mastered from a
worn copy of the 45) and the three singles recorded by Cowap with Gouldman,
appear on the Castle CD, "Strawberry Bubblegum," which is now out of print.
Apart from the shoddy copy of "There Ain't No Umbopo" used for the CD, sound
quality is excellent, and the collection includes extensive liner notes.

Sidebar: 10cc also recorded with Neil Sedaka in the early '70s, backing him on
the LPs "Solitaire" and "The Tra La Days Are Over." The latter was not
issued in the US, but after Sedaka scored a hit with "Laughter in the Rain"
(with no 10cc involvement), MCA compiled the US LP, "Sedaka's Back," which
includes some of the tracks recorded with and co-produced by 10cc. One of those,
"That's When the Music Takes Me," hit the US top 30 in 1975.
– Michael Thom

10cc: Behind The Bubblegum Scene With The Worst Band In The World

The four original members of 10cc are
tight-lipped about a particular period during their early
days, and not because they feel it's rude to chew gum with
their mouths open. Sadly, they don't want to chew the fat
over their contribution to our dearly beloved Classic
Bubblegum Music era. As though peeling gum off an embarrassed
face, their collective guilt over gum has not subsided over
the years. Personally, I don't understand their reasoning
even though they've been less than inclined to communicate
it. So, here is a measure of 10cc; the worst band in the
world.

The success of their 1977 No. 6 hit The
Things We Do For Love contributed to the breakup of this
critically loved, chart-topping group. 10cc seemingly wanted
success on their own terms. Whether refusing to dress up the
part of rock stars, failing to designate a group leader, or
purposely inserting off-color lyrics into obvious hits,
10cc's self-effacing and success-defeating style kept the
group members focused solely on their art, for art's sake.

Dubbing themselves "The Worst Band In
The World," Eric Stewart, Graham Gouldman, Lol Creme,
and Kevin Godley formed 10cc in 1972 after individual
successes and failures out of Manchester, England. Before
starting the group and recording for Jonathan King's UK
label, these four lads were established singers, songwriters
and multi-instrumentalists. Comparisons to the Beatles proved
to be both accurate and ironic for it was the Beatles whom
Eric Stewart's first group, The Emperors Of Rhythm, beat in a
BBC audition in 1962. It was also the Beatles who rejected
10cc in an audition for Apple records ten years later
(although it appears that it was a mop-top underling). That
Eric would be one of the few lucky writing collaborators with
Paul McCartney in the 1980s only seems to make sense. After
the Beatle-conquering Emperors, Eric joined Wayne Fontana as
a backup Mindbender. The group had a #1 hit with Game Of
Love and later, without Fontana, Groovy Kind Of Love
(with Eric handling the lead vocals). Graham Gouldman
hit his mark early and often, penning hits for the Yardbirds
(For Your Love, Evil Hearted You, Heart
Full Of Soul), Hollies (Look Through Any Window,
Bus Stop) and Herman's Hermits (No Milk Today,
East West, Listen People). While his solo
career stalled in the late-60s, Graham joined Eric Stewart's
Mindbenders as they were breaking up and then went into a
studio venture with Eric, buying and renovating a studio in
Manchester and naming it Strawberry Studio after a song by
those pesky Beatles. Meanwhile, Lol Creme and Kevin Godley
were immersing themselves in graphic art design but dabbled
enough in the Manchester music scene to meet and work with
both Eric and Graham on various studio projects. The first
major collaboration was a test of the Strawberry studio
recording console started by Kevin experimenting with drum
layers and Lol organizing the chant of "I'm a
Neanderthal man, you're a Neanderthal girl, let's make
Neanderthal love, in this Neanderthal world." Eric and
Lol added guitar parts, the three called themselves Hotlegs
and they had a hit on their hands.

Soon, Jonathan King (back from the moon) had
signed the group, now with Graham Gouldman on bass, to his UK
Records label and the hits started rolling out soon
thereafter. This quartet, christened 10cc by King, released
four critically acclaimed albums mixing the Beach Boys,
Beatles, humor, precise production techniques, art-rock,
humor, harmonies, and that humor thing again. They never hit
big in America with the exception of an anti-love song, I'm
Not In Love, one of the most covered AM hit-songs of all
time. The highs were many, including the album Sheet
Music and songs such as Rubber Bullets, The
Wall Street Shuffle, The Second Sitting For The Last
Supper, and I'm Mandy, Fly Me. The requisite
"musical differences" and Creme and Godley's desire
to explore their Gizmo (a musical apparatus they designed
that bent the strings on a guitar to emulate a string
section) led to the breakup of 10cc in 1975. Well, big boys
don't cry so Eric and Graham carried on as 10cc (some local
wags called them 5cc, other wags called them 15cc on a good
night -- neither was particularly witty) and C&G recorded
a triple-album set to showcase their invention. They
commented on the breakup by saying that they did not like the
new songs Stewart & Gouldman were bringing to the group,
notably the songs People In Love, and The Things
We Do For Love. Nonetheless, Stewart & Gouldman had
a world-wide smash with Things and C&G wouldn't
taste success until years later in England as their interests
moved to the world of MTV and directing videos for the likes
of The Police, Duran Duran and Herbie Hancock.

So, why am I going over the history of 10cc
-- a history that surely everyone knows -- on this, a
bubblegum tribute site? Is it because I've listened to Sheet
Music 20,000 times and it keeps getting better every
single time I hear it? No, my silly love. Graham, Kevin, Lol
and Eric just so happen to be sitting on the bubblegum
mother-load and they are not sharing!

It's December 1969 and our beloved Jerry
Kasenetz and Jeff Katz, flush with money from producing
dozens of bubblegum smashes in the States, decide to mine
England for up and coming songwriters and musicians. Admiring
the work of Graham Gouldman, they pay the hit-writer a whole
gob of that heavy American dough to pen bubblegum hits.
Later, they paid more buckets of American cash to have Graham
and his friends (Eric, Lol and Kevin) record these songs and
others so that they may cart them back to the states to be
sung by their stable of hit-fortified singers. Stewart,
Gouldman, Creme & Godley use that gooey bubblegum money
to equip Strawberry Studio, form 10cc and start the path
towards critical and monetary musical successes.

So, you would think the boys would be more
than happy to tip a hat to K&K and reveal all the songs
they worked on, right?

Not so fast.

The four 10cc-ers have refused to discuss
this three-month period these 30 years hence. There are two
official biographies of the group, the 1976 "The 10cc
Story" by George Tremlett and a book released this year,
"The Worst Band In The World (A
Definitive Biography)," by Liam Newton. In both tomes the
subject is only lightly touched upon. Both books rely heavily
on Graham Gouldman's recollections and he sums it up with a
quaint anecdote that K&K would walk into his office and
ask if a song was finished. When he said yes, they asked for
another! I'm telling you, this material works great at
parties! Lol and Kevin say this was the low point of their
career (Hey, I saw the Go West! video; they may want to
re-think their position!) and Eric is mum on the subject.

Now, I love 10cc. I have almost everything
they've ever done and all I want to know is "WHAT ELSE
DO I HAVE TO COLLECT?" I can understand that they don't
like this kind of music but they did write Neanderthal
Man, The Hospital Song and Graham did the
soundtrack to Animalympics so they can't be that proud!

So, until they fess up, let me attempt to
fill the bubblegum beaker left empty by 10cc. And as you may
know, 10cc is the average amount of spit in an a gum
evacuation, so this list of songs 10cc may have had a part in
is fitting:

Sausalito,
Ohio Express -- This is a no-brainer as the song is credited
to Graham and is obviously sung by the bubblegum-hating
Gouldman. But, who plays on the song? I believe it is all of
10cc.

My Fire
Department Needs A Fireman, Shadows Of
Knight -- This seems to be an example of 2.5cc, as I believe
that at least Eric plays on this song. I recognize one of his trademark guitar solos and
I'm sure he was an ax for hire around this time.
Graham may be on this song as well but I don't believe Lol
and Kev were around.

Pam, Crazy Elephant --
Although I have no proof I believe that this is all 10cc,
all-the-time. I can't seem to be able to snag a copy of their
only album on e-bay and my wife refuses to stay home all day
and make bids for me.

Gimme Some Love, Crazy Elephant -- I
absolutely love Kevin Godley's voice! (On Monday's I absolutely love
Graham's voice, Tuesday is Eric's turn, and Thursday is all Lol all day.
Paul, Harry, and Pete get the weekend!) I know that Kevin is singing here
because when I play this song my ears actually crust over with hardened pink wax allowing only
future 10cc warblings inside . . . .

Come On Plane, Silver Fleet -- A 10cc-worthy song written by Graham (with Kasenetz & Katz
-- yeh, right). It rocks, it uses many
percussive elements, and it's not the last time the flighty subject matter
takes off for the boys. Kevin sings this not-really-gum slightly gospel
classic.

There Ain't No Umbopo, Crazy Elephant --
Another Crazy Elephant song written by Kevin & Lol and sung by Kevin.
Surprisingly sad and very reminiscent of their Hotlegs material and their
later duo work (Samson, Under My Thumb). Slightly more gospel than Plane.

When He Comes, Fighter Squadron -- That's
the contract fulfilling Gouldman writing (with Kasenetz & Katz again) for
Kevin Godley to sing. Very gospel and not gummy at all!

Crickets, Peter Cowap --
Although not credited as a writer on the single, Graham co-wrote this silly
little ditty about those chirping eight-legged freaks. It's his sound
structure, it's him singing in the background. And by Jiminy, the production is
impeccable.

Tampa, Florida, Ohio Express -- Not sure
if this Graham penned ditty was ever released or ever made it on the ballot!

That's it. Ten songs that I know of
(or made up the fact that I know of). I'm convinced that there were more
songs and I am sure that if they were all mined it would make a great
pre-10cc compilation CD. Now listen, I want
the goods on these songs and the others or I will start the
rumor that 10cc wrote and performed on Melanie's Brand
New Key, Glenn Campbell's Rhinestone Cowboy and
backed Neil Sedaka on two albums! (Hey, wait, they did back
Neil on two albums and they're even proud of it!)

Okay, Eric, Kevin, Lol and Graham: give up
the gum. Don't join the long list of life's great gooey
mysteries. Don't let your bubblegum-loving fans down. E-mail
me today and I'll help fill-in the full 10cc of your history.

Behind The Gum:Pammy Has Hot Legs

Pamela Pamela by the Mindbenders?

Pam by Crazy Elephant?

"Pammy Has Hot Legs" on a run-out groove of a 10cc record?

"Pam" etched into the school desk cover?

Coincidence?

Who is this Pam?

Pam may not have much of a connection to bubblegum music (after all,
isn't Pam a popular anti-stick product?) but we here at the Bubblegum Music
Home Page leave no leg unturned in our search for the truth. In other words,
this story has some legs.

You might find yourself asking, "How did Hotlegs get their name?"
"Why all those 'Pam'
references?" The Classic Bubblegum Music Page went out on a limb to
investigate this mystery. (OK, maybe we just waited for someone to contact
us!) The following e-mail arrived in January 2002 from Pam Blundell who may
not have influenced all the Pams listed above but certainly carved her name
in 10cc history.

"Hello Andy - a friend of mine has been checking me out
(well, at least my story) regarding my connection with Hotlegs, who then
went on to be 10cc. It's not surprising that there's no record of my
connection with them as it was so long ago! I was about 19 or 20 at the time
and dating Lol Creme and also working at Strawberry Studios in Stockport,
Cheshire. They were recording Neanderthal Man and we were all putting the
finishing touches to the backing during the early hours of the morning.
Kevin Godley was idly staring at my legs (first time round with the mini
skirt) and announced 'Pam's got hot legs' . . . . . and so the story goes!
They needed a name for the band QUICKLY so it stuck! Kevin then scribed my
name into the album front 'Thinks School Stinks' and wrote 'Pamela has hot
legs.' Well, that's my claim to fame and it's never been topped yet! A good
friend of mine actually managed to acquire a copy of this album a couple of
years ago and gave it to me as a present. Nice thing to have for posterity!

Kind regards,

Pam Blundell"

A big pink thanks to Pam for clearing
up that mystery. Sadly, she no longer has pictures of her legs circa 1972.
If anyone has these priceless Pammy pics, please post post-haste!

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